


Chance Encounter

by HartSense26809



Series: WestAllen Drabble Collection [17]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Chance Meetings, Eventual Romance, F/M, Flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-30 08:13:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19849132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HartSense26809/pseuds/HartSense26809
Summary: When Barry Allen and Iris West meet in the most unlikely of circumstances will their encounter lead them to take a chance?





	Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> I just realized that I haven’t been sharing what the drabble prompt is for each one of my works, sorry about that. I will rectify that starting with this drabble.   
> Prompt: “You can put your cold feet on me.”
> 
> I hope you enjoy part seventeen of my Westallen drabble collection.

Barry Allen had ten minutes left of his cherished lunch break and he was absolutely dreading returning to the summer job that had become the bane of his existence. Working in the ladies shoe department at Neiman Marcus was physically and emotionally exhausting. All day long he had to cater to wealthy, entitled, demanding women that treated him, at best, like a meager employee, and at worst, like an indentured servant. They were the most indecisive creatures that he had ever encountered and he probably carried over a hundred shoe boxes from the shoe closet to the customers in any given day.

The only thing that was keeping Barry from quitting was the fact that he desperately needed a job to help support his family after his father lost his job and the commission from designer shoes could often be reasonably lucrative. Remembering that, he finished his extra large iced coffee and made his way back to the shoe department.

There they were, he mused, women. Barry could never understand why they always seemed to shoe shop in pairs. Shaking his head in disbelief he marveled how it was a scene right out of Noah’s Arc.

“Excuse me can I please see these in a size 6?”

Barry closed his eyes knowing the torture was about to resume. He quietly exhaled as he gave himself a pep talk, “Okay Allen, you can do this. Just remember the customer’s always right, flash a smile and when you see their gruesome feet don’t visibly grimace.” Feeling ready he turned around and was floored by what he saw.

“Sorry, you do work here, right?

“Yes, I mean no………well actually yes.” He was stuttering and stammering over his words, making an absolute fool of himself. It was just that ever since he had been working in this overpriced mecca of capitalism he had yet to see anyone as stunningly beautiful as the young woman that stood before him. She was glorious with big, bright brown eyes, flawless skin, chiseled cheek bones and a pout that made his knees weak. He knew he had to pull himself together and up his game. “I’m sorry, I was deep in thought, but no longer. You’re the only thing I want to think about. How can I help you?’’

“Can I see these in a size 6?”

“My pleasure. I’ll be right back.” And the beautiful woman watched Barry walk away wondering if the super cute shoe salesman had been trying to flirt with her.

Returning in record time Barry pulled a small stool in front of, what was already the best part of his day, and began to prep the shoe for her to try on. “I wonder what her name is? Should I ask?” Barry thought.

“I’m Iris by the way.” The minute the statement left her mouth she was surprised by her own behavior. She never tells guys her name, especially those she literally just met. Why was this man different?

Barry exhaled a small laugh wondering if she was also clairvoyant. “This is a really nice choice. I think you’ll like them,” he said as he gestured for her to extend her foot so he could help her place the shoe on. But Iris hesitated and Barry feared that perhaps he was being too forward. Sensing his misgivings she told him, “Listen, my feet are really cold, they always are. I’d like to spare you from having to feel them.”

They locked eyes and if they held that intense, eye searing gaze any longer every part of Iris from the top of her head to her cold feet would be a raging inferno. Feeling the almost palpable heat between them Barry gingerly placed her foot in his hand and smiled as he huskily told her, “You can put your cold feet on me anytime.” And then, in his most Prince Charming way, he placed her beautiful foot, because of course she’s not like everyone else, in the shoe as if he wanted to make her his Cinderella.

“Fits perfectly! I love it.”

“Let me help you with the other.” And as Barry started to prepare the other shoe he was rudely interrupted. “Iris where have you been? I was texting you and your silence is just another example of how rude you are.”

“I’m sorry Cecile,” Iris reluctantly told her stepmother. This was precisely the reason she turned her phone off and tried to avoid her. Cecile had such controlling tendencies and a vicious personality that for whatever reason seemed to be worse in public.

“That’s great. What I am supposed to do with your sorry. What are you looking at shoe boy? Try focusing less on my chest and more on your job.” Her pointed comments at Barry shocked him and disgusted Iris. Barry never once looked at her in that way and Iris knew that Cecile was pompous enough to think that every man was checking her out. “Now why are you looking at those ugly flat shoes?”

“They’re not ugly and I need a pair of flats.”

“What you need is heels to help elongate those fat, stubby legs of yours.”

Even though Iris was used to Cecile’s caustic criticism it still hurt her nonetheless. Barry saw how Iris’s fell, washed in sadness. So he decided to step in, “Actually ma’am I persuaded her to try on those shoes. It wasn’t her idea. I was just trying to make a sale.” The look on Iris’s face, one of disbelief and gratitude, was worth the lashing he would receive.

“That figures. You losers that work in these jobs are always trying to lie to and hustle customers. I should complain to the general manager who happens to be a good, personal friend of mine.” Before Cecile could finish her thinly veiled threat her phone rang and she stepped away to answer.

“You didn’t have to do that. You didn’t have to protect me.”

“I know,” Barry said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted to.”

And again their eyes began having an entire conversation that offered the most seductive of topics and ideas. Of course an interruption reared it’s ugly head.

“Iris that was your father. He wants us to meet him at the restaurant in 15 minutes. Let’s go.”

Iris couldn’t leave, not yet. She had one thing she absolutely knew she had to do and she was well educated in getting Cecile off her back. “Okay. I’m going to buy those nude high heels you recommended earlier to help my legs. You were right about that,” she’s internally rolling her eyes. “Then I will come join you and Daddy.”

“See how much easier life is when you take my advice. And trust me your legs will thank me.” And with that empty advice she gave Barry one last dirty look and left the store.

Iris went about putting her own shoes back on as she spoke to Barry. “I’m sorry about her. She’s just so awful to everyone and please don’t worry I’ll make sure she doesn’t complain about you.”

“That’s okay. I’m used to being treated like a nobody.”

That simple sentence broke Iris’s heart. She didn’t know anything about this man but she knew he was somebody. Somebody that she wanted to know better and somebody that didn’t deserve to be treated as he was. And she knew exactly how she would remedy this situation. “So its Barry right?” She asked gesturing to his name tag.” “Yep, that me.” “Lame Allen,” he thought to himself. “I’d like to place an order with you, you work on commission right?”

“That’s right.”

“Perfect, let’s go to the sales register.” Barry followed Iris obediently and hung on her every word. “Okay,” she gestured for him to start typing. “My step mother Cecile West has an charge account here and I’m pretty sure she would want me to place those heels she recommended of her account. In fact, “ a devilish smile now forming on her face, “that entire table of Gucci shoes you can charge to her account and send them to the address on file.”

Barry was floored. That would be well over an eight thousand dollar sale. “Are you sure? I gotta be honest I don’t want to get into any trouble.” Barry was ready to do anything for this mischievous woman but he couldn’t lose his job, not even for her.

“Trust me, I won’t let that happen, I promise.” Her voice was so honest, her demeanor so sincere and caring that he instinctively knew she would take care of him. Who was this woman that waltzed into his dreary life and was turning everything upside down. He had to know more about her and lucky for him she felt the same way.

Iris walked around the register and stood deliciously close to Barry as she pulled out the sharpie that was in his shirt pocket, grabbed his hand and wrote down her phone number. Barry was astonished by her boldness and titillated by her cool breath as she blew on his hand to help the ink dry. She reached up on her tiptoes to make up for their considerable height difference and whispered in his ear, “Why don’t you call me sometimes handsome.”

Speechless and slightly aroused Barry watched as Iris winked at him and sashayed away. And you better believe that man called that once in a lifetime woman the moment he got home. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read my drabble. I hope you enjoyed it. All comments and feedback are welcomed. And a HUGE thank you to everyone that has left comments & suggestions lately. I can never properly express how much they mean to me.❤️


End file.
